


Compromised

by stingrae90



Series: Uther's Compromise [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: AU, Gen, Uther compromises, magic is not banned, this could be worse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-29
Updated: 2012-08-31
Packaged: 2017-11-13 04:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stingrae90/pseuds/stingrae90
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ygraine died, Uther didn't ban magic, but strictly regulated it. Such a simple divergence can cause such a big change...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Compromised

**Author's Note:**

> This idea spawned out of a drabble prompt over on The Heart of Camelot. "What Might Have Been" is what we were given, and my brain jumped to the basis of the tension in the entire series. Uther's ban on magic. What if Uther had listened to logic and not given in completely to his grief after Ygraine died? What if magic was still legal, but strictly regulated?
> 
> EDIT 13/10/12: Now a series for easier reading pleasure. The next part is titled "The Beginning of Change".

Uther stared down at the crying infant and wondered if his son could tell that his mother was dead.  
  
He finally had his heir, a son. But the same magic that had gifted him with Arthur had stolen his beloved Ygraine –  
  
No. No, magic had not been solely to blame for this. Nimueh had told him. Gaius had told him.  
 _  
“A life for a life, Sire. To create new life, an existing one must be taken.”_   
  
He was just as much to blame as magic.  
  
But he could not properly punish himself. Arthur needed him now.  
  
Magic _was_ to blame.  
  
\--  
  
They were ordinary people. They didn’t stand out. They were mothers, fathers, sons and daughters.  
  
But they had magic.  
  
By royal decree, magic was banned except in the protection of Camelot or the royal family. Every sorcerer, no matter their age or skill, must be registered with the Court Genealogist.  
  
Any violation, of any part of the law, was punishable by death.  
  
No one escaped punishment. Not even the sick child whose mother had not registered him on time, since no one else could care for him.  
  
Uther watched in righteous silence as the child burned and the mother cried.  
  
\--  
  
It was obvious what had occurred. The old woman’s spell had been broken by a loyal sorcerer.  
  
His eyes still glowing gold, the sorcerer was the boy Gaius had taken in.  
  
The dagger still floated in front of Arthur, frozen, and _he had not registered himself._  
  
The death sentence was on his lips when Arthur suddenly gasped and the dagger dropped: harmless, defeated.  
  
Cold-blooded calculation prevailed over misdirected self-hatred.  
  
“You shall be Arthur’s manservant, boy.” He glared. “As long as you __follow the law from now on. I will be watching you.”  
  
The boy gulped, nodded, and bowed very low.

**Author's Note:**

> General consensus of everyone who helped me with the initial drabble is that Uther is almost scarier this way. Personally, I think he's terrifying this way. You don't ever quite know which way he'll jump. Poor Merlin...this time around, Uther KNOWS he has magic.


End file.
